"This power… this power…!"
A voice, deepened and distorted by transformation, came from the giant dog's mouth. But before Sasuke could carefully savor it further, he couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.
Seeing this, Kakashi and Konohamaru nearby grew worried and wanted to do something, but Naruto stopped them in advance.
Despite how Konohamaru seemed to be at odds with Sasuke, they still had over a month of shared experiences.
"Don't get close."
Naruto's expression turned serious. He could sense the emotions currently radiating from Sasuke: pain, regret, loneliness, hatred… a chaotic mix.
Dozens of chains extended from Naruto's back before Sasuke could struggle in pain, firmly binding him to the ground.
The black-red flames around Sasuke seemed to damage even Chakra Constructs like the Adamantine Sealing Chains. The chains, after binding him for just a few seconds, began to show signs of 'corrosion'.
These weren't actual iron chains, after all.
The reason for Sasuke's sudden turmoil was that he had acquired a new ability.
The 'calamities' experienced by everyone around him were forcibly poured into his mind.
It wasn't specific memories, but rather the full spectrum of emotions felt by those involved during those events.
"Roar ahhh…!"
The giant dog's eyes turned blood-red, a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan glaring fixedly at everyone present.
At this moment, the 'beast' within these eyes had surpassed the 'human', and reason was gradually receding.
It could be said that in this Ninja World, there might not be much of many things, but calamities and sufferings were plentiful.
Besides granting Sasuke control over that peculiar black-red flame, the Huodou's form also bestowed upon him the ability to perceive calamities.
Unfortunately, this seemed to be a passive skill.
At least for now, Sasuke couldn't deactivate this ability.
Just as Sasuke was about to lose all reason, and Naruto was prepared to use the [Great Amnesia Technique] to render him unconscious, his action was interrupted by a vision of the future.
His raised hand lowered again, replaced by even more Adamantine Sealing Chains.
The chains were also wrapped in several thick layers of Haki, significantly reducing the efficiency of the flames' corrosion.
"Everyone, turn around and don't look at him."
Upon hearing Naruto's words, Karin almost instinctively turned her face away, and the others followed suit.
Although they didn't know what was happening, it was best to listen to the more experienced person at a time like this.
Once everyone's gazes shifted, the incessant flood of painful emotions finally stopped.
Even so, the emotions accumulated previously seemed to have reached a certain threshold, leaving Sasuke's mental state precarious.
"Don't forget your mission, Sasuke. Don't fall here."
Naruto's words weren't loud, but they pierced through Sasuke's madness like a sharp sword.
Humanity resurfaced in those blood-red eyes.
It was at this moment that the pattern of those Three-Tomoe Sharingan began to change, transforming into another, more symmetrical and complex pattern.
Finally, only a pattern resembling a black lotus in 'full bloom' remained in Huodou's scarlet eyes.
When these eyes fully took form, reason also returned to Sasuke's main body. Fresh blood streamed incessantly from the corners of his eyes.
Sasuke wanted to open his mouth to say something, but his body, exhausted from physical and mental strain, quickly reverted to human form.
The floating points of black-red flame around him actively drilled into his eyes.
Naruto did not stop this process.
Because he saw that when those flames came into contact with Sasuke himself, they did not cause any corrosive effects.
On the contrary, some wounds on his body had healed after being covered by the flames.
It seemed the newly transformed Sharingan consumed a greater amount of flame-
As almost eighty percent of the black-red flames were used to 'repair' these eyes.
Pfft-
Just before Sasuke lost consciousness and fell, Naruto swiftly moved forward and caught him.
"This should be... a good thing, right?"
Naruto wasn't entirely sure either. He scratched his head somewhat awkwardly while looking at the few onlookers who had now turned back around.
He really hoped his good intentions hadn't caused trouble.
…
"So, you're saying what I have now is... the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
Sitting in the smoothly moving carriage, Sasuke listened with disbelief as Naruto recounted secrets even he, a true member of the Uchiha Clan, wasn't aware of.
Actually, records of these things should still exist within the Uchiha Clan's archives. It's just that Sasuke had been so single-mindedly obsessed with revenge that he never bothered to search through them carefully.
Naruto's detailed knowledge was entirely thanks to Orochimaru's long-term research, conducted at his own expense through interactions with Itachi, and the results he collected.
"Yes, your brother, Uchiha Itachi, also possesses such eyes."
Naruto nodded, also informing him that frequent use of the Mangekyo Sharingan would lead to blindness.
Sasuke accepted this point very quickly.
"As long as I can kill Itachi, mere eyes are nothing-"
But the real issue wasn't just blindness.
The problem was that Sasuke, in his human form, couldn't directly use those eyes. Only when he transformed into Huodou's form and gained the [Calamity Perception] ability would his eyes become the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Intense mental stimulation is the cornerstone of the Sharingan's evolution. This ability is indeed very suitable for me."
According to Sasuke's own account-
While transformed into Huodou, he could almost instinctively see the misfortunes each person had experienced by looking at their present.
Moreover, he would empathically feel the emotions contained within those misfortunes.
This included the pain Kakashi experienced from losing his comrades and father, the helplessness Karin once felt, the loneliness of Naruto's childhood, and so on.
"Tch, a guy who can't even control his transformation properly-"
Beside them, Karin muttered under her breath quietly. No matter how she looked at it, she just couldn't stand Sasuke.
'Those flames were indeed terrifying, but this guy didn't even have the strength to maintain his transformation, whereas I could sustain my Garuda's form for a full morning without getting tired.'
Sasuke shot her a glance but couldn't be bothered to respond.
First, because his mental state was indeed still very weak. Second, after witnessing Naruto's true strength firsthand, his pride wasn't as sensitive as it used to be.
Perhaps only a kid like Konohamaru had the perfect ability to provoke him.
"So, where are we going now?"
Sasuke didn't even look at Karin, turning directly to ask Naruto.
"The Land of Rain. The [Akatsuki] your brother belongs to is there."
The carriage sped swiftly along the roads of the Land of Fire, already far from Konoha.
When Sasuke caused such a commotion earlier, Jiraiya was responsible for dealing with the Ninja who came to investigate.
Later, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, also arrived at the scene. Seeing his disciple, and Naruto who had returned after leaving, he seemed to understand something and proactively dismissed the surrounding Anbu.
What they discussed after that, no one else knew.
In any case, Naruto faced no obstacles when taking Sasuke away from Konoha.
And so, the Avengers was officially formed!